Spark-plug.



A. DE LAIRBJIOITTi SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1911.

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ADOLFO DE CLAIRIVIONT, TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE TOLEDO 'AUTOMOBILE DEVICES COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION' OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters' Patent.. v

Patenten aan. so, iets;

Application filed August 21, 1911. y ISerial No. 645,082. f

Improvements in Spark-Plugs, of which the following is a speciiication. y

This invention has for its primary object a simple, durable -andfefficient construction of spark plug for internal combustion engines, which will be positive in its action, and practically self-cleaning and not 'liable to get out of order, and the invention consistsin certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is tobe had to the following de scriptioii and accompanying drawings, in which:

VFigure l-is a side elevation of my improved spark plug; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; and, F ig. 3 is an end view. I

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and `indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the metallic body portion of my improved spark plug, formed at one end with exterior screw threads for attachment to an engine cylinder and formed in its opposite end with interior screw threads designed for engagement by a screw threaded bushing 2 which is adapted to clamp, in the body portion 1, a core 3 of porcelain, mica or some equivalent insulating substance. Projecting from the inner end of the body portion 1 and preferably formedintegral therewith, are a plurality of electrodes 4. which are disposed substantially in a longitudinal alinement with the main body portion of the plug and which are formed at their free extremities with slightly inturned points 5, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. There are four .of these .electrodes in the present embodiment of the invention, spaced in equidistant relation to each other, and within the circle vof these points or electrodes L and almost entirely out of the plane thereof and wholly without and spaced from the body portion 1,-a ball or sphericalA electrode 6 is positioned, being spaced from the extremities 5 ofthe electrodes 4, as is evident 'and being held on the inner end of a rod -7 which is mounted in the core 3. Thej ball G may be formed of any suitable sub# stance, such as platinum, steel, etc., and the co-acting electrodes 4 may also be formed of any of these or other suitable substances.' The rod 7 is provided at its outer end with` the ordinary binding nut 8.

F or a purpose to be later .described the upper end of the rod 7 passes through a sleeve 9 which loosely encircles the upper end of the rod, and is held from any longitudinal movement relative thereto. This sleeve permits the rod to be rotated'within the sleeve. The exterior of the sleeve is screw threaded and engages with the internal screw threads on a nut 8. It will be seen that by rotating the nut 8 that the rod may be raised or lowered but that the rotation of this nut 8 will not act to rotate the rod and that a rotation of the rod 7 will not act to rotate the sleeve 9 and therefore .shift the rod 7 longitudinally. The vrod 7 is also screw threaded intermediate its ends and provided with the nut l0, which forms a stop for engaging the end wall lof the recess in the lower end of the core. It will be noted from Fig. 6 that this recess is oi greater diameter than the stop nut l0 and hence does not act to impede the rotation of thisv stop nut. inasmuch as the nut l0 is adjustable upon the rod 7, it will hold the rod in a proper adjusted position against any' accidental vertical displacement, so that Y' the ball 6 will come in proper relation to the terminals 5. 0f course, the nut 8"limits any downward movement of the rod andwith. the nut 9 holds. therod in its longitudinal adjusted position. v

It will be seen that 'I have provided means therefore, whereby the rod Z maybe longitudinally adjusted. and held. in this adjusted position from any vertical movement* ft will further be seen that the rod maybe rotatably shifted so as to bring a fresh portion of the ball 6 opposite the points 5. This loc may be done by hand but it will be obvious l that the oscillations of the machine will tend to jar the plug and' further cause a slight jarring movement of the ball which will tend to rotate. Of course the nut 8 may vbe turned up so tightly as to draw the stop nut 9 firmly vagainst the upper wall of the recess in the core and hold therod from any rotary movement.` By loosening up upon the nut 8,

rie

however, so as to permit the nut. 10 to movev v the rod 7 or the nut 8 left in such position as will limit the vertical movement of 'the rod 7 within very short bounds, but at the saine time leave the rod 7 free to turn by the jar of the machine.

Itwill be particularl noted that the ,hall 6 is entirely outside' o the body portion 1 of the plug and is exposed'upon all sides to the gas, ree gas space being formed all around the bail and in the space between the same and the inwardly projecting substantially parallel electrodes or points l. By thus .exposing the electrodes entirely to the compressed gases= the same 'will be exploded without failure.

Having thus deseribed the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A spark plug comprising a body portion provided at its inner end with an inwai-diy projecting electrode, a core in said body portion, a rod within the Acore and adapted to have free longitudinal movement therein, an adjustable stop mounted near the lower end of the rod and engageable with the lower end of thecore, an exteriorly screw-tlneaded sleeve surrounding the up` per end of the rod above the core and having swiveled engagement with the rod for free rotation thereon, and a nut engaging,

the sleeve and bearing against the upper end of the core.

2. A spark plug comprising a body portion provided at its inner end with an inwardly projecting electrode, a rod extending loosel) through the body portion and having freerotary movement and free longitudinal movement therein, a ball electrode supported on the lower end ,of the rod adjacent the first named electrode, and means for adjusting the rod longitudinally but permitting the rod to have. free independentv rotation without change of longitudinal position.

3. A spark plug comprising a body provided at itsinner'end with an inwardly projectingelectrode7 a rfid loosely disposed within said body for free rotary movement.,

that portion of the rod disposed within said bodybeing smooth to provide for longitu 'dinal movement of the rod, a ballpelectrode on the lower end of the rod adjacent the first-named elect1ode,and means for adjusting the rod longitudinally with relation to Losanna the body, said means permitting the rod to the upper end of the rod. said sleeve having swiveled engagement with the rod5 an adjusting nut upon the upper end oir the rod engagmg the sleeveand bearing against. the' upper end of the coreT anl adjusting nut. upon Vthe screw threads intermediate the endsot .the rod and engaglng the inner ends of the erre, andl a hall secured to the inner end of the rod ouside of and spaced from the hotly j portion and within the' circle delined hy4 the .l free extremities of eaid electrodes and epaoad therefrom, the inner end or the hotly portion being open around the hail n' diameter greater than the diameter of the? I 5. fl; spark plug comprising if i r tion provided at its inner end n wardly projecting electrode., la roe. disposed in said body for tree rot, ment and for longitudinall movement; in .ef pendent of its rotary movement, a. hall eleotrode supported on the lower end of the rod opposite the point or" the Erst. narnedeiee trode. 'meurs for longitudinally l the rod, and means xtorclaniping i. i. any longitudinally adjusted' position.

6. spark plug Comprising n loodv 'oro-- vided at its inner end with a plur'il inwardlyv projecting electrodes, a Smooth rod loosely disposed within the body for free rotary movement therein. and tree longitudinal movement therein, a spherical electrodecarried upon the lower end of the rod, a screw-threaded sleeve swiveled upon the upper end of the rod to permit the rod to have free turning movement therein. and a nut engaging the said sleeve whereby the. rod may he adjusted longitudinally without im peding its free rotation.

In testimony whereof, l aii my signature v in presence of two witnesses.

DOLFO DE .Clnlllliill D. Witnesses:

E. .M Knina'rrr, S. V. liano.

ln. sd 

